Drafting table



July 8, 1941- R. G. LE TOURNEAU 2,248,276

DRAFTING TABLE A Filed July 14,' 1939 2 sheets-snee@ 1 L' IISVENTOR R.G'Leourneau ATTO R N EY July 8, 1941. R. G. LE TOURNEAU DRAFTING TABLE 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR R. G. eTou/neau BY Q .MAL ATTO'RNEY Filed JulyI14. 1959 Patented July 8, 1941 DnAF'rING TABLE Robert G. Le Tourneau,Peoria, assigner to Y f. y

R. G. Le Tourneau, Inc., acorporation y Application J vuly` 14, 1939,Serial No. 284,483

This invention relates in general to a drafting table, and in particularthe invention is directed to, and it is my principal object to provide,an improved drafting table including a plurality of working surfaces ordrawing boards arranged in a unique assembly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a drafting table of thetype described arranged for movement to selectively dispose any one ofthe plurality of working surfaces in a common position for use.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a multiple workingsurface drafting table which occupies a minimum of floor space, and yetprovides ample leg room for a draftsman seated adjacent or standing atthe table.

A further object is to provide means for supporting a drafting implementin position for use on any surface of the table when such surface is inoperative position.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensivedevice and yet one which will be exceedingly eective for the purpose forwhich it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several views:

Figure l is a perspective View of the device.

Figure 2 is an end view, partly in section.

Figure 3 is a foreshortened, longitudinal vertif cal section on line 3-3of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawings, the device comprises an elongated rectangular frame or base Isupported adjacent its corners by feet 2; there being a rigid A frame 3mounted in connection with and upstanding from each end of base I. Ahorizontal shaft 4 extends between brackets 5 on the upper end of frames3 and is held in nonrotatable relation by means of nuts Ii threaded onthe ends of said shaft.

An elongated, three-sided drafting table, triangular in cross-section,is journaled axially on shaft 4 for rotation thereabout; such tablebeing constructed and mounted as follows:

Triangular heads or end plates 1, which are slightly concave tostrengthen the same, are

`mounted on and rigidly supported by a horizontal sleeve 8 whichsurrounds shaft 4 between brackets 5. Heads 9 on the ends of sleeve 8are provided with ball bearings III which surround and ride shaft 4.Spacing or friction washers I I are'dispos'ed on shaftr 4 between heads9 and brackets 5.

Along their outer edges the triangular end plates 1 4are formed withinturned flanges I2; rectangular wooden drawing boards I3 extendingbetween and being secured on said flanges. In order to protect the edgesof the boards from undue wear, they are reinforced by angle irons I4.Horizontal pipes I5` extend between and are secured to the end plates atcorresponding corners and provide additional strengthening means for thetable assembly.

At one end of the table and at the corners of the adjacent end plate, Iprovide socket pieces II whose sockets Il are all disposed in a commoncircle concentric with shaft 4; there being a spring pressed detent I8adapted to normally engage in one of said sockets. Such detent ismounted on base I in such offset position relative to shaft 4 that whenthe detent is engaged in a socket, the then uppermost drawing board isdisposed at a proper slope for ease of Working thereon, as will beapparent from Fig. 2.

A horizontal lever I9 is journaled on and above the base I at the endadjacent the detent; one end of said lever having a radial and dependingfork 20 engaging the back or inner surface of an enlarged head 2| on theouter end of the detent, while the other end of the lever is formed witha radial foot pedal 22 which projects substantially horizontally inwardabove the front portion of the base.

A vertical post 23 is mounted on the back portion of base I centrally ofits ends, and at the upper end said post is provided with a bracket 24.The bracket projects above the extended plane of any table surface whenin operative position and provides a mounting means for the anchormember of the parallel links of .a drafting machine of the well knownand so-called universal type and which includes a straight edge adaptedto rest on the work on the table. By reason of this arrangement, thedrafting machine may be permanently mounted on the bracket 24, since itis only necessary to swing or fold the links of the machine back clearof the table when the latter is swung from one position to another.

In use, a draftsman who is working on a plurality of drawings orlay-outs attaches each to one of the drawing boards I3 rather than usinga plurality' of drafting tables as is now the practice, and whichrequires an undue amount of floor space and equipment.

To move one board out of the way and another into working position, thedraftsman merely steps on pedal 22 which withdraws detent I8, permittingthe table to be rotated until the desired board is in place, whereuponthe pedal is released and the detent returned to the correspendingsocket.

The device conserves office space, reduces the amount of draftingequipment required, and by reason of the nove1 triangular structure, thedraftsrnan has ample leg room at all times, as will be obvious.

With the exception of the drawing boards; theY structure above describedis constructed mainly of metal, thus providing ample rigidity and weightas is desirable in a drafting table;

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I haveproduced such a. device asfsub-A stantially fulfills the objects of theinvention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from, suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having lthus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A drafting unit including a base, a. multi-side drafting table, meansmounting the table for rotation about a horizontal axis disposedsymmetrical to all the sides of the table whereby to dispose any side inoperative' position at Will and at a common operating level, a rigidvertical post upstanding from the base behind the table a-ndY adrafting-instrument supporting bracket mounted on the post adjacent saidoperative level for operation on any side of the table when disposed inoperative position and clear of the path of rotation of the rear edge ofany side of the table'.

ROBERT G. LE'IO-URNEAU.I

